ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Edible Easter Centerpiece and Party Favor

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
Edible Easter Centerpiece and Party Favor
By Avalon Potter
“Teen Crafted, Mom Approved”

I love flowers, and especially Pink gerbera daises! I also happen to love jelly beans, parties, and crafts. I have always wanted to combine them all and with Easter on the way I thought of a perfect way to do it! This week’s project is an edible Easter center piece, with the delicious element of jelly beans and the adorable design of a pink daisy in a rick rack embellished pot!

Materials
Jelly beans
Cardboard
Styrofoam
Three colorful little buckets (we got these at Target in the dollar section)
Fake pink gerbera daises
Rick rack or colorful ribbon
Aleene’s Liquid Fusion Glue
Aleene's Foamtastic Glue

Tools
Scissors
Pen

Instructions

1. Gather all of your materials.

2. Wrap your ribbon around the base of the bucket to measure it and cut leaving a little bit of excess ribbon.


3. Apply a thin strip of Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue to the backside of the ribbon and rewrap around the base of the bucket.

4. Repeat steps two and three for the top and bottom of all three buckets.

5. Measure the bucket width by drawing a circle on the cardboard with the bottom of the bucket. Then cut out the cardboard circle.


6. Take a chunk of Styrofoam and put it in the bottom of the bucket, then make a hole big enough for the flower stem in the cardboard. Add some Aleene’s Foam glue and slide the cardboard to the top of your foam.

7. Cut the flowers so that they fit in the pot making two the same size and the third taller.


8. Put the flower in the pot giving it a bend so you can see the flower face. Make sure the face is facing you.


9. Fill the pot to the top with jelly beans.

10. If you want to let your guests take these home, add a name on a card to the pot handle or the flower stem.

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Kiss the Cook Apron

(Mom says, "Avalon does it again with this super cute apron! Am I a proud mom, you bet I am!")

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
Kiss the Cook Apron
Avalon Potter
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

Sticking with the baking theme, this weeks project is a “Kiss the Cook" apron! I love to bake and I was in need of an apron so what better way then to make my stylish chef couture into something everyone can wear. So stick that soufflé in the oven and get to work!

Materials

Iron on transfer paper
Tulip Glam it Up Iron-on Studs
Apron (Preferably white)

Tools
Tulip Cordless Heat Setting Tool
Iron
Computer/Inkjet printer
Scissors

Instructions

1. Gather all of your materials.

2. Go onto your computer and chose the size and font of your letters in Microsoft Publisher or your program of choice.

3. Print it out onto the transfer paper. Make sure to follow the directions for printing and click on “mirror image” in the settings. I found the lips in clip art.

4. Heat up your iron to high and set your lips and words in a position you prefer.

5. Iron your words and lips to the apron. You might want a little help with ironing. On the first try the transfer burned. Actually my Dad did the ironing on the first one and burned Mom’s new kitchen table! (Mom here, "ARGH...can't I ever have ANYTHING nice? Wah, wah.") To protect the surface underneath put a pillow case or a cardboard t-shirt form under your apron while ironing.

6. Place the colored studs around the lips and words; bright pink around the lips, black around the words, and if you have a pocket or other major detail use red around it. Set the studs with the Tulip heat tool or your iron.

Jo-Ann Fabrics Spring 2011 Press Kit

Delicious Denim Necklace Copyright Margot Potter for Jo-Ann Fabrics

A while ago the folks from Jo-Ann Fabrics contacted me about participating in their Spring 2011 Press Kit. Big thanks to the folks from ILovetoCreate for recommending me. I had a blast making a necklace from die cut and embellished used denim. I have a small pile of jeans in a bag in my studio which I periodically cut up for projects, it's a small but earnest contribution to being green. Used jeans are such a terrific canvas for paints and inks and they can withstand a lot of crafty abuse, plus the thrift stores are overflowing with them. Flowers and butterflies were EVERYWHERE at CHA this year, so I was right on trend when I created this.

I love when that happens!

March is National Craft Month, so look for this design and the other fabulous creations by some of the biggest names in crafting at your local JoAnn Fabric store!

We closed on our new home today and it is filled with eco-friendly materials, including recycled denim insulation! Who says old jeans can't learn new tricks?

Love
Madge

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Cupcake Sparkle T

It's another fab Teen Craft Project by Avalon Potter for ILovetoCreate!

I Heart Cupcakes!

Cupcake Sparkle T
Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
"Teen crafted, Mom Approved."

I love baking cakes and decorating them with fondant, but I also love making and eating cupcakes! Really, who doesn't love a cupcake? Tulip has these super cute iron on words and embellishments that make it so easy to customize a simple t-shirt to celebrate anything you love!

Ingredients
White T-Shirt
Tulip Glam it Up Iron-on Studs (pink)
Tulip Glam it Up Iron-on Fashion Designs Large Cupcake pack
Tulip Express Yourself Iron-on Applique Cupcake

Tools
Tulip Mini Fashion Iron
Tulip Cordless Heat Setting Tool

1) Large Cupcake Pack – cut the text “cupcake” from the pack and position it on the shirt in the desired placement with the plastic side up. Cover with a thin cloth and press and hold your iron for 45-60 seconds. After it cools remove the plastic.

2) Cupcake Applique – position the cupcake image with the design side up. With your iron at the cotton setting, press and hold for 30 seconds. Turn the shirt inside out and press again with the iron for 30 seconds.

3) Iron-On Studs – I chose the pink studs to match the color of the cupcake text. Position the first stud with the glue side down in the middle of the shirt collar. Use applicator to attach each crystal, one at a time to maintain positioning.

Remember to turn your shirt inside out when you wash it!

Mixed Media Redux: As Time Goes By Necklace

"You must remember this,

A kiss is just a kiss,
A sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply,
As time goes by."
As Time Goes By by Herman Hupfeld

This is one of my favorite mixed media jewelry projects from last year, just change the date, the sentiment is timeless!

Click here for instructions! Last I heard, Ornamentea got these fab faux watch fobs back in stock!

Is it just me, or did 2010 go by far too quickly! Blink of an eye, anyone?!

Love,
Madge

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Joyful Christmas Ornament

(Note from Mom: Avalon does it again! Love this sparkly glass ornament using Tulip Fashion glitter and Aleene's Tacky Glue Spray! Check out her latest teen craft project for ILoveToCreate. Am I proud? Does Santa like cookies?!

Uh, yes, yes he does.)

ILovetoCreate: Joyful Christmas Ornament
Avalon Potter
"Teen created, Mom approved."

I thought I would squeeze in one more holiday project because it is one of my favorite seasons. A few years ago my mom took a clear glass Christmas ornament and put crystals inside making a snow globe for your tree. It was one of my favorite projects she ever made, so I thought why not adapt her old project into something new! My project is a clear ornament that you spray wit Aleene's Tacky Spray Glue and coat the inside with Crafty Chica glitter! I enjoyed making these as gifts for my little cousins because it is fun, easy, and you can personalize each ball with different colors and tag to make it special for the person you give it to.

Materials
Clear ornament with opening top (preferably plastic in case of accident)
Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Spray
Tulip Fashion Glitter (green and red or colors of choice)
Colored paper to match glitter
White printer paper
Paper to make funnel
Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue Stick
Ribbon to match color of ball

Tools
Printer
Hole punch
Scissors

Instructions

1. Gather your materials.



2. Open up your ornament and lightly coat the inside with the Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Spray.

3. Make a funnel with a piece of paper and insert the bottom into the opening of the ball.

4. Pour a sufficient amount of the color(s) of glitter you choose into the ball. Feel free to mix colors or choose different colors then I used.


5. Close the ornaments top and shake until the ball is completely coated with sparkles. Shake the excess sparkles out of the ball.

6. Using a font you like print out in large letters the word or name you want as the tag. Use a similar color as the one you used in the ball. If you used two or more colors chose one for the font and another for the colored paper behind it.

7. Cut out the word and cut out your colored sheet of paper a slightly bigger into a rectangular card for the word to sit on.

8. Use your Aleene’s tacky glue stick to glue the word to the colored paper.

9. Punch a hole in the corner of the tag.

10. String some colored ribbon that matches the ball through the hole and tie a knot.

11. Tie onto the top of the ornament in a bow to complete the ornament.

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Snow Bunny Holiday Scarf and Hat Set

Snow Bunny Holiday Scarf and Hat Set
Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts


Winter is coming fast and I made this scarf to keep me warm during the holidays. I had a lot of fun making this and I think you will too. This goes perfectly with any type of coat and is a breeze to create. I hope you enjoy and until next time wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Crafting,
Avalon

Materials
Fleece hat and scarf in cream (I got mine at Old Navy)
Tulip Glam-it-Up Crystals Clear
Holiday Themed Stencils (Try The Holly Stencil from Tulip!)
Tulip Fashion Graffit Paint Taggers in Green and Pink
Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint in Gold Glitter
Tulip Foam Sponge Pouncers
Aleene's Jewel-It Glue

1. Fold scarf in half and lay flat.
2. Apply stencil pattern on scarf using a paint pouncer. The leaves should be green and berries alternate between pink and gold glitter.
3. Add crystals to each pink berry using Aleene’s Jewel-It Glue.
4. Decorate the brim of your hat in the same pattern, adding a leaf and berry to each panel at the top as in photo. Decorate front and back of hat.
5. Allow to dry before wearing!

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts Falling Leaves T-Shirt

Avalon has a fab new project this week for ILoveToCreate! She did such a great job with this from concept to execution and her dad helped her since Mom's been a little busy with the new job. I'm endlessly proud of her. Just a quick FYI...I'll be debuting on Jewelry Television's Jewel School tomorrow sharing three fun, fast and fashionable projects from 9am until noon EST. If you don't get Jewelry Television, you can watch the show streaming live on their website.

Falling Leaves T-shirt ILovetoCreate Project Copyright Avalon Potter 2010

Once again I bring you another fun, easy and stylish project using ILovetoCreate products. This past week I’ve seen the leaves falling outside and the beautiful colors surrounding me, and when I saw the Tulip fabric sprays and foam leaves in the local craft store I knew exactly what my project would be. I would make a shirt inspired by the leaves scattered all over the ground using fall themed Tulip fabric sprays and glitter. I had a great time making this project with my dad, we really had some quality time together making this and I hope you will have just as much fun.

Materials:
Cotton tee (white and prewashed to remove sizing)
Foam shapes( doesn’t have to be leaves)
Three or more tulip fabric sprays
Tulip glitter dimensional fabric paint in silver
Tulip craft sponge
Double sided tape
Tulip fashion form

Instructions:
1. First gather all your materials, then take you shirt and put it on your tulip fashion form.


2. Next lay out were you want your foam shapes to go, you the size, shape or amount you use depends on what you want to do.

3. Attach your shapes with double sided tape and make sure all of your corners are down because you don’t want excess fabric spray leaking under your shapes and deforming the way they will turn out.


4. Make sure you cover the area underneath the shirt to prevent getting any spray on the floor! Then one by one spray around and on your foam shapes you can leave white in areas but I filled mine in with glitter.


5. Let the paint dry then the next day take of the foam shapes and apply the glitter paint with a sponge on the white spots where the foam shapes were.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Spooktacular Party Invitation

Spooktacular Party Invitation by Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts

Avalon has another fab teen craft for you this week. She made a gorgeous Halloween pop up party invitation that is perfect for the season. Pop up cards are surprisingly easy and fun to make and this design could easily be modified for any number of holidays and special occasions. Avalon loves working with paper to make dimensional projects and this one really rocks!

Spooktacular Party Invitation
Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate
“Teen crafted, mom approved”

With September coming to an end I thought it was time to do a Halloween craft. At my age more of us go to parties then trick or treat so I decided to create a Halloween party invitation. This is fun to make and then a few weeks later you will have even more fun at your party! Making cards is simple, enjoyable, and a great way to kick off October.


Materials
Decorative black and white scrapbook paper
Orange cardstock
Halloween themed ribbon
Martha Stewart rickety fence edge punch (or other decorative Halloween themed edge punch)
Googly eyes
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Aleene’s Tacky Glue Stick

Tools
Computer
Printer
Paper cutter
Craft Knife
Paper Scissors
Bone Folder

Step one: Once you have all of your materials cut your decorative scrapbook paper to 11 ¼” x53/8” inches. Fold your cut cardstock in half, the card fold is in the center of the 11 ¼” length. Make sure there is some of the decorative cardstock left over you will need it later. Use a bone folder to crease the card.

Step Two: Punch the fence from the orange cardstock. Make sure you have punched a little over 5 3/8 inches so if by accident you trim a little more paper off of your fence it won’t be a problem.

Step three: Cut the fence to fit the bottom edge of your card, attach with Aleene’s Tacky Glue stick. Any excess fence can be trimmed with your scissors.

Step four: Now get your ribbon, Aleene’s Tacky Glue, and scissors. Cut your ribbon so it won’t overlap your rickety fence, around 5 inches long. Apply it to your card by putting Aleenes tacky glue on the back then sticking on the left hand side of the card.

Step five: Take your orange cardstock and scissors. You will cut a piece of cardstock about 4 ½ inches long and 4 ¾ inches wide and then the paper about ¼ of an inch long on both sides so that you can use those flaps to attach the paper to the card


Step six: Now take the flap from and bend the ends into flaps. Bend a 1” fold and a 2.5” fold. This becomes the base for your pop up element. Use the glue stick to attach one flap on the bottom of the card and one on top so that when the card is open it makes a rectangle. See photo. Make sure when the card closes it bends with the card.

Step seven: Now take your remaining orange card stock and cut out a pumpkin to about 3 ¼”x4 ¼”. You could switch the pumpkin to a skull, spider, or black cat. This is the part where you can feel free to be creative.

Step eight: Use your craft knife to cut out a jack-o-lantern mouth with a small tooth at the top. You could also add a nose if you want to.

Step nine: Adhere the googly eyes to the pumpkin using Tacky Glue. Allow to dry.

Step ten: Using a fancy font (I used King and Queen font from dafont) write You are cordially invited... in 16 pt.. Then write the date, the address, the time span of the party and the R.S.V.P date in 8 pt.. Print. Don’t feel obligated to use black as the font color try red or maybe orange.

Step eleven: Use your paper cutter to cut out the printed material. The larger front element is 4.5”x1.25”. The invitation information is 3”x2.5”. Use the glue stick and glue the invitation into the pumpkins mouth with the tooth overlapping at an angle. Glue the pumpkin onto the front of the pop out piece of paper you glued to the card in step six, the invitation should almost rest on the bottom of the card when fully opened.

Step twelve: Apply the greeting on the front of the card with your glue stick. Glue it on an angle to give it a creepy affect.

Step thirteen: Punch a second fence element using the decorative scrapbook paper. Glue this to the inside of the card at the bottom.

Busy, Busy!

I've been busy as a Keebler Elf here at Studio Madge. Unfortunately there are no cookies involved. That something really big I mentioned months back is finally under way and I simply can not wait to share the big news! Stay tuned for the Official Announcement later this week...

I've got a huge pile of straw to spin so I must away...tune in tomorrow for Avalon's super awesome Halloween Invitation for ILoveToCreate!

xoxo
Madge

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: School Spirit Tie Dye T

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
School Spirit Tie Dye T
Copyright Avalon Potter
“Teen crafted, mom approved”


(Note from Mom: I’m so incredibly proud to announce that my talented 12 year old daughter Avalon will be doing bi-weekly blog posts for ILoveToCreate right here at The Impatient Crafter™ and at the ILoveToCreate blog. She’s joining the super fabulous Maya Murillo as they split up the teen craft post duties. Without further ado, here’s Avalon!)

School is back and school spirit is higher then ever. I thought for my first project I would do something for spirit week. At Twin Valley we have a school spirit day were we wear our school colors. It helps get everyone excited for the new school year. So I thought what better way to get the readers excited for not only school but my first blog?

This project is great if you want an intro to the ILovetoCreate Custom Dye Color Kit!

Materials
Cotton t-shirt
Rubber bands
Tulip Custom Dye Color Kit
Disposable rubber gloves
Salt
Tulip Fabric Markers (bright)
Ribbon

Tools
Fabric scissors
Large pot or bucket
Large wooden spoon



1. Select your shirt. Wash shirt to remove sizing. Make sure you’ve got your mom or dad with you, the dye can irritate your eyes or your skin. Follow directions on package carefully.


2. Protect work surface with plastic bags and newspaper. Wearing rubber gloves, prepare 2 gallon dye bath in a large pot or bucket following recipe in the pamphlet that comes with the dye kit. I used Shamrock.





3. Use rubber bands to tie off shirt to create patterns. You can fold and secure or twist and secure, each new way of securing the shirt fabric will create unique designs. You can find a lot of great techniques on the ILoveToCreate website.


4. Place shirt in dye bath and stir for 15 minutes. Keep shirt in bath for one hour, stirring every ten or so minutes.

5. Remove shirt from dye bath and remove rubber bands. Wash shirt on hottest setting with laundry soap. Wash separately from other clothing for the first few washings.

6. Use fabric markers to write the name of your school across front of t-shirt.

7. Cut off sleeves, cut off bottom of shirt and cut off the collar to create a boat neck style.

8. Use coordinating ribbons to tie the tops of each arm hole.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Felty Good Pencil Toppers

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Felty Good Pencil Toppers
Copyright Margot Potter
"Mom crafted, kid approved."

I can't believe it's almost back to school time around here! Avalon is excited to get her school supplies together. I love felt, and I always have a pile of felt scraps waiting to be used in projects. This pencil topper idea popped into my head and I'm really happy with how it turned out. Avalon squealed with delight when she saw these. You can, of course, make these uniquely yours using different colors, shapes and embellishments. Googly eyes are always fun! Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue makes quick work of this project.

If you're knee deep in the dog days of summer and the choruses of "I'm bored" have driven you half mad, this is a great project to give your teens so they'll have something to do and something fun to take back to school..

Materials
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue
Various felt scraps in black, hot pink and white

Tools
Fabric scissors
Small disposable paint brush

1. I cut two different length strips of felt for the base of the toppers. The black strip was 4.5"x1.5" and the black strip was 3 1/4"x 1 1/4" (remember these will be folded in half.) Cut out your shapes for the faces, arrange them on the felt strips to size and plan your designs.

2. Use a thin paintbrush to paint a strip of glue on the inside edges of the felt, fold over and allow to try. The center opening needs to be large enough to slide over a pencil top.


3. Use paintbrush to paint glue on the backside of your shapes and apply to felt. Fingers get sticky fast, so wash between embellishments to prevent fuzzy felt or glue splotches. Allow to dry.

ILoveToCreate Pink Splash 3-D Flower Bangle

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts Pink Splash 3-D Flower Bangle
Copyright Margot Potter
“Mom crafted, kid approved.”

I designed a chain and bead necklace a couple of years ago featuring a similar hot pink die cut flower on it for a class proposal. At the time, this kind of look hadn’t hit mainstream fashion hard and I think it was just a skootch ahead of the curve. Flash forward to 2010 and dimensional floral accents are EVERYWHERE! I’ve re-imagined it attached to this pretty painted pink bangle design using fabric paints, fabric markers and Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue. I think this is one of those perfect ‘Back-to-School’ accessories for the teen fashionista. It’s flirty and fun and girly and right in step with what’s happening in the fashion mags.

PLUS the flower spins around like a pinwheel, so it’s a kinetic design too! When those crystals get spinning, it’s really quite mesmerizing!

This requires using an electric drill, so a little assistance from mom or dad may be required. You could opt to do smaller flowers and have them circle the wrist, but I’m a big and bold kinda gal and so is Miss Avalon, my resident teen. Take this idea where you like, express your individuality! That’s what crafting and fashion is all about.

Materials
Grungeboard sheet swirls pattern
Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in azalea
Tulip Metallic Dimensional Fabric Paint in white
Tulip Metallic Dimensional Fabric Paint in metallic silver
DIY Bangles small wooden bangle
Inkadinkado lourish stamp
Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue
Tulip Glam-It-Up™ crystals
Crystal bead for center
Pink or silver-plated head pin
Sizzix Bigz Flower Die

Tools
Tulip Glam-It-up™ tool
Sizzix Big Shot machine
Electric drill with 1/16” bit
Paintbrush
Foam brush or foam applicator
Flush cutters
Round nose pliers



1. Paint several layers of azalea paint on inside and outside of bangle. Allow to dry between layers.

2. Stamp flat oval areas with flourish stamp and white paint. Apply paint with a foam applicator or brush to surface of stamp. Allow to dry.

3. Mark center of one flat oval segment on bangle and drill.

4. Die cut flower out of Grungeboard using the Big Shot and the Bigz flower die.

5. Paint both sides of each layer of flower with azalea paint. Allow to dry.


6. Use foam applicator and flourish stamp to apply metallic silver paint to surface of flower layers. Allow to dry.

7. Use a thin paintbrush or your foam applicator to edge the flowers with the metallic paint. Allow to dry.

8. Glue flower layers together with Liquid Fusion. Allow glue to dry.

9. Use Tulip Glam-it-Up crystals and wand to apply crystals to edges of flower petals.

10. Thread head pin with flat side facing inside of bracelet through drilled hole, hole in center of flower and a crystal bead. Use round nose pliers to turn a loop and secure. (If the head pin head is too small, use a small button to secure it to the back of the bracelet.)